Longitude and latitude exist to add dimensionality and measurement to the Earth, so that navigators and explorers can determine their absolute position on the planet. With…out them, all navigation would be relative and less standardized. (MORE)

The five major lines of latitude are the Arctic Circle, the Tropic of Cancer, the Equator, the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. The 2 major lines of longitude are… the prime meridian and the international dateline. (MORE)

Longitude is the east-west (right/left) measurement on amap. It goes from 180 degrees west to 0 (through Greenwich, London, UK) then to 180 degrees East. 180 degrees West …or East is actually the same line - its in the middle of the Pacific ocean. There are thus 360 lines of integer Longitude. Latitude goes from the Equator - 0 degrees, North to the North Pole at 90 degrees north. Or south to the South Pole at 90 degrees south. There are thus 180 lines of integer latitude. Technically, you'd have to say that the number of possible lines is actually infinite. Since between any two lines you choose, no matter how close together they are, you can always fit a bunch more in between them. "How many lines on a globe ?" is a lot like asking "How many lengths on a ruler ?" (MORE)

The line latitude and longitude are there to help humans understand the difference between the north, south, east and west. The function of latitude is to tell us far …north south the equator we are. The function of longitude is to tell us east and west of the prime meridian we are. (MORE)

Students of geography, and anyone else who needs to find their way around a map with more confidence, may benefit from a fuller understanding of latitude and longitude. The tw…o terms are more than just confusing geography words that sound similar. They are also more than just little black lines on a map or globe that break everything into rectangles. In fact, latitude and longitude are the basis of the entire geographic information system (GIS) discipline, and the lines help you make sense of a map.Lines of latitude are the east-west lines that separate the globe. The base word is the same as that in lateral, meaning sideways, which may help some learners distinguish the term. The most significant line of latitude is the equator, which separates the northern and southern hemispheres. On most maps and globes, lines of latitude are marked at 15-degree intervals, going up to 90 degrees north and down to 90 degrees south. The Arctic Circle begins between 60 and 75 degrees north latitude, and the north pole is at 90 degrees north.If it's helpful, you can remember that lines of longitude look longer because they are vertical lines. There are two significant lines of longitude. First, the prime meridian is at 0 degrees, extending north and south through Algeria, SPain, France, and London, England. On the opposite side of the world, mostly in the Pacific ocean, is the 180-degree line of longitude, which represents the international date line. If, for example, you leave Alaska on Sunday and land a few minutes later in Russia after crossing the international date line, it will be Monday.The Tropic of Cancer extends from the equator to 23.5 degrees north latitude. Similarly, the Tropic of Capricorn extends south from the equator to 23.5 degrees south latitude. The "Tropics" are home to the vast majority of the world's rainforests, meaning they are also home to the majority of earth's plant and animal life. Direct sunlight year round allows prodigious growth at these latitudes, and keeps the days and nights roughly the same length.Any spot on the globe has a number that allows you to pinpoint where you are using longitude and latitude. The Island of Taiwan, for example, is at 23.5 degrees north by 120 degrees east. That means it's right on the border of the Tropic of Cancer.To further pinpoint location, degrees of latitude and longitude are then further subdivided into measurements of minutes and seconds. There are 60 minutes per degree, and 60 seconds per minute. So a map coordinate might be given as 30 degrees south by 150 degrees east by 22 minutes. This puts you in eastern Australia.To understand what these more precise measurements mean, a degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles, and a minute of latitude is approximately 1.15 miles. Broken down to an even more precise measurement, a second of latitude is only about 0.02 miles, or just over 100 feet. But a degree of longitude varies in size. At the equator, each degree of longitude is about 69 miles, just like a degree of latitude. However, the size gradually decreases to zero, as do minutes and seconds of longitude, as the meridians all converge at the poles.Latitude and longitude allow you to quickly and easily pinpoint locations on a map or globe. Understanding how to use coordinates is critical for anyone involved in navigation, from piloting to driving to hiking. Although the lines are imaginary, they allow you to segment the globe into rectangular shapes. Longitude and latitude may not make it easier for you to find a new restaurant, but understanding how the terms are applied on a map gives you a better understanding of the big picture of the planet from a geographical perspective.The concept of creating a logical grid system to describe locations of the world can be traced all the way back to classical Greece and China. The ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy is credited with creating a logical grid system of the world considered to be the earliest representation of the system of longitude and latitude measurements in use today. His system is published in his book, "Geography." However, it wasn't until the Middle Ages that a system of latitude and longitude was further developed and widely adopted for navigational purposes.(MORE)

The world is a large place, full of many different physical locations, climates, and features. Without a system of measurement that accurately maps where a particular location… is, it would be incredibly difficult for people to reliably locate something on a map. Since the Earth is not flat, angular lines needed to be created in order to measure positions on a globe. These angles and points make up the latitude and longitude system. The lines of latitude are an important part of this system, letting people know how close to or far from the equator they are. For a more detailed description of what latitude is and how it is used, check out the information presented below.Latitude is a correlation between geography and a measurable point on the planet Earth. The Earth's surface is shaped so incredibly in size and scope that it becomes difficult to describe any particular point on it that can be reliably found. To help accurately describe how to find any specific point, the concepts of latitude and longitude were created. Latitude and longitude are used simultaneously to mark a specific spot on the surface of the Earth. Specifically, Latitude details the north and south measurements, showing how far something is from the equator or poles.Latitude is calculated in degrees. The Equator serves as one of two baselines for latitude, as do the north and south poles. The Equator is detailed as zero degrees, while the poles are each detailed as 90 degrees. Each major line of latitude increases by 15 degrees, with particular notables being the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (each at 23 degrees North and South, respectively) and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (each at 66 degrees north and south, respectively). Between each of these lines are individual degrees, which are measured along with longitude to signify a specific point.Anyone who has a need for calculating the exact point of a physical feature on Earth uses latitude and longitude. Geographical scientists use latitude and longitude in order to describe positions of certain geographical locations. Navigators use latitude and longitude to direct air and sea vehicles. Pilots use latitude and longitude to locate their position relative to other geographical features on a map. These measurements are also used in tandem to create time zones, which help people know what time it is in locations relative to their own.After the advent of the latitude and longitude system, most major physical features on the globe were documented. Most major cities on the planet now have a designated latitude and longitude position, making it easy to pinpoint exactly where any of these cities are on a map of the world. Major landmarks, such as mountain ranges, islands, bodies of water and currents are all marked by various positions using latitude and longitude. If new discoveries are made in the physical world, they are often categorized and given coordinates so that their position can be easily replicated and studied.After reading this overview, you should know more about latitude and how it helps define the physical characteristics of geography. Without accurate measurements for positions on the globe, physical locations would be particularly difficult to pinpoint. Because of this system of measurement, latitude and longitude vastly improve the way people locate parts of the physical world. Lines of latitude line help people better understand the positions of places relative to each other and relative to their climates.While the lines of latitude may simply look like parallel lines mapped in equal distances on a globe, calculating positions with latitude requires complex mathematical equations. These equations require information about length, arc, and distance while using advanced math concepts to properly calculate position.(MORE)

Referred to in many books and movies, the equator, also known as latitude zero, though it is only an imaginary line has inspired many people and started many quests. The equat…or has a lot of meaning. Due to its geographical position, it is associated with certain climatic conditions, astronomic phenomenon, and even a way of life. While everyone has heard of the equator and knows its general location, there are still many facts and details about this imaginary line that people do not know.The equator is just an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. It is equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole. The equator is one notable circle of latitude on our planet. The others are the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Polar Circles.The temperatures in locations on or around the equator are usually high all year round. An exception to this is the mountainous locations in Africa and South America where temperature can drop massively. Even in lowlands, temperature can drop massively due to extensive rainstorms. In the lowlands near the equator, you can find a tropical rainforest climate. Some places experience a tropical monsoon with a dry season usually in the middle of the year.The equator is just under 25,000 miles long. The equator does not have a set width and its position drifts for about 49 feet during a whole year.The equator crosses the lands of 14 countries in the world. Some of them are Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon (which is also close to zero longitude apart from being at zero latitude), the Republic of Congo, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil. More than 70 percent of the regions that the equator crosses are not land, but water.One common myth about latitude zero is that the weather is the same at the equator, but that is false, as the weather varies according to several factors like altitude. One other myth is the water will spiral down drains differently depending on which side of the equator you are on at the time. This is also false, as water will flow down in the direction it is introduced into the hole. Another common belief is that the moon appears to turn upside down at the equator, but this is not documented. Even if the moon appears to flip upside down at times, this will not happen only at the equator.Crossing the equator has inspired many rituals and customs. Some navies hold ceremonies on the ship to mark the first crossing of some of the sailors. Ceremonies are held also on passenger ships. There is even a name for those who never crossed the equator; they are called ?pollywogs."The equator is an important geographical and astronomical reference point. While there are many variations in climate and biodiversity countries that are located on the equator do share some similarities, like the fact that the day and the night are theoretically equal, both 12 hours long. The equator also influenced many legends, myths, and rites all over the world and especially among sailors. Latitude zero is not only a geographical milestone, but also an important piece of the culture of the world and you can enrich your general knowledge with these short and interesting facts.The sun will pass directly over the equator during the March and September equinoxes. The sun is at that point at directly above the ground in the point called zenith.(MORE)

A map of the earth is covered in lines running east-west and north-south. These imaginary lines mark the location of the equator, prime meridian, the Arctic and Antarctic Cir…cles, and the International Date Line.(MORE)

Some of the people who regularly use latitude and longitude in their jobs are: geographers, cartographers, members of the Armed Services or military, geologists, aviators, tra…vel agents, historians and social studies teachers. (MORE)